There’s still boxes around Dr. Michael Walt’s office on
Interstate Parkway. His hunting jacket with red plaid lining is a
few feet away on a table.

He takes time to talk over a patient matter with his nurse and
never misses a beat in talking about his background, his family and
his practice.

Make no bones about it, Walt is here and ready to help his
patients with his training as a doctor of osteopathic medicine.

An osteopathic doctor has to have the same training as a medical
doctor; an osteopath gets additional training in the muscular and
skeletal systems. DOs use osteopathic manipulative treatment.
Basically, they use their hands to diagnose illness and injury and
to encourage a body’s natural tendency toward good health.

“I have an extra took in my tool box,” he explained of the
difference between DOs and medical doctors. “If it’s applicable, I
will do that.”

Walt said he will screen a new patient, take the history and do
a physical at his office at BRMS Family Practice. Manipulative
medicine is most commonly used for back pain, he said.

He treats people from young to old. He said he will add
treatments to his repertoire as needed, adding his practice is
“still in its infancy.”

And while he’s been around the world, it’s Bradford where he
decided to set up his practice.

“I have a little familiarity with Bradford,” Walt said.

He said he was getting out of the U.S. Navy and needed to find a
place to live. He was already familiar with Bradford – his late
father had a camp in Kane.

“I had been hunting and fishing in the Kane area all of my
life,” the Westmoreland County native said.

The couple took a trip to Bradford. Walt has a collection of
Zippo lighters, something he inherited from his father.

“It was undiscovered country for us,” he said of exploring
Bradford.

After they drove around town for a while, they looked at each
other and agreed – it would be nice to live here. It was not too
close, nor to far from their families. His wife is from Clarion
County.

Then, when Walt was looking for a place to move, he received
quite a surprise from a head hunter – a position was available in
Bradford.

“Pennsylvania Bradford? Northwestern Pennsylvania Bradford? Not
another Bradford?”

While Walt was pleased that he had the opportunity to set up a
practice in Bradford, he still looked at other places.

“I cast a wide net to see what opportunities there were,” he
said.

Walt served in the U.S. Navy for six years. That, in turned,
helped pay for medical school. As a trade off, he had to spend four
years in the Navy. Those four years were extended because he went
to Iraq in 2005.

“I had been with my squadron for 1 1/2 years,” he said. So when
they got the call to go to Iraq, he decided to go, too.

“Iraq was unique,” he said of his time there from February to
September 2005. “I have no regrets about the extension.”

Walt was not able to go into detail about his time in Iraq, but
did say it was worthwhile.

“We did a lot of good,” he said. “You don’t see the things we
did see … it was a very rewarding experience.

“Any of the good days was a blessing.”

He also tied in his military time with Zippo lighters.

He befriended Kathy Wallin, a Zippo employee, when she helped
him get specially made Zippos for his squadron in North Carolina.
He also would seek out Zippos wherever he would go.

Now it’s surreal that he’s in the same town as Zippo.

And now he is getting patients from Zippo as well as Microtech,
American Refining Group and others. Walt said he’s willing to go
into the workplace to see what people do and how they do their
job.

“I need to know how this stuff works,” he said. He’s already
gotten a couple of offers.

The father of a 3-year-old and 5-month-old twins proudly
exclaims, “At home, I am number 5. I am very happy about being
number 5. I am only Dr. Walt at work.”

And while he’s Dr. Walt, he gives his undivided attention. He
also said patients need to take an active role in their own health
care.

“I work with my patients. It’s a personal thing,” Walt said,
adding people should go to whomever they feel comfortable with.

“I don’t care what doctor you see. You need to have someone to
take care of you.”